Learn more about the many people and communities who are making an impact in health around the world. Below is a selection of highlights. For a full list, view all stories.
The career of F. Marc LaForce, MD began in1965 with an assignment to the United States Public Health Service at the Communicable Disease Center—now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—in Atlanta, GA. Dr. LaForce’s public health career has spanned multiple continents and changed countless lives.
On 400 acres of scenic farmland in Fayetteville, Georgia, there is an inspiring organization dedicated to serving youth and veterans called Camp Southern Ground. Founded by GRAMMY award-winning artist Zac Brown, Camp Southern Ground offers residential summer camp experience for kids aged 7 to 17, and workforce and wellness transition programs to help veterans transition to civilian life after military service.
In July 2024, the Vermont collaborative was forced to put many of their long-term plans on hold when the Northeast Kingdom was battered by two historic, back-to-back rainstorms that caused widespread flooding. Roads and bridges were destroyed, and residents faced catastrophic damage to their homes and property—some washed away completely.
Every day, in every community, public health connects us all. Learn more about those who are making an impact and ensuring healthier and safer communities for us all.
Testing saves lives. It gives us the critical information we need to detect, treat and prevent disease outbreaks. Today, as researchers deepen their understanding of diseases and build more advanced tools, we support every step of the process to create new, more accurate, more efficient tests.
Brigid's Path is one of only five newborn recovery centers in the United States. With funding, it can serve as a model for other states to care for mothers and babies impacted by the opioid epidemic.
As a data abstractor in the New Jersey Department of Health, it is Pinzon’s job to log data from death certificates, coroner/medical examiner reports and toxicology reports in the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS). When overdose deaths occur, Pinzon receives raw reports and inputs them. And Pinzon’s work has had a major impact on community response.
Every day, in every community, public health connects us all. Learn more about those who are making an impact and ensuring healthier and safer communities for us all.
Joanna Buffington kept going to school because she loved learning—and, in her words, because she didn’t know what she wanted to be when she grew up. She discovered a passion for science while an undergraduate at Wesleyan, but it wasn't until graduate school at Tufts that she decided to continue on to a medical education, rather than work in labs that conducted experiments on animals.
Known as the “Grande Dame” of philanthropy, Margaret Ellerbe Mahoney was a self-identified ‘doer.’ With her expertise in creating partnerships and opportunities to support public health, Ms. Mahoney was drawn to the idea of the CDC Foundation, which was launched in 1994. As a founding member of CDC Foundation's board of directors, Ms. Mahoney’s leadership was instrumental during its earliest days.
From the battlefields of World War II to the front lines of global disease eradication, William "Bill" C. Watson, Jr.'s remarkable journey exemplifies the transformative power of dedicated public service. His three decades of visionary leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) not only shaped the organization's future but also set an enduring standard for value-driven public health leadership.
